March 30, 2008

When I first started doing graphic design, one of the first things I wanted to do was labyrinths. Original medieval-style labyrinths, not Chartres redone. Unfortunately, the only directions on how to draw labyrinths I could find were for the classical style. So I started trying to draw some anyway, but I kept getting stuck. I was thinking of labyrinths as a series of barriers. Once I started thinking of them as paths interrupted by barriers, everything started falling into place.

The first design I did was a classical path in a medieval style labyrinth. Since I was learning my graphic arts program at that time, it seemed the easiest. And I like the idea of combining two related but seperated traditions. The second design is a neo-Medieval design where the celebrant heads straight towards the goal, only to be deflected at the last moment, into a winding path that eventually reaches the center. (A good representation of how I feel many days.)

Both designs have several versions, including the base labyrinth design and one including the phrase “Life’s a Journey.” After all, isn’t that what labyrinths teach us?

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February 10, 2008

One of the first designs I ever wanted to do was an original Tree of Life design. Unfortunately for me, I cannot draw. Really. But I can draft just about anything . So when the idea of using a labyrinth for the top of the Tree of Life came to me, two years of struggle was over in two days. This is my first draft of this design, created solely using vector art and filters. The labyrinth is an ancient design, with two entrances and one exit. Celebrants come together in the center of the tree, where the Mother and her lover meet, and leave together down the center. The design is surrounded by the Eternal Knot.
While I claim no copyright for the basic design, I do for this implementation of the design.